Looking at buying a new chainsaw in the next month or so and would like some recommendations as to how I can safely store my old chainsaw for future use. It still works(although a bit beaten up), but I know that I should have two on hand in case TSHTF and I'd like to put the old one away for a "rainy day".

Already have some chainsaw chains stored in their packaging, which appear to already be oiled down for storage. We use a wood burning stove which will be my primary heating source in the event that we lose electricity/gas.

Should I drain it of all fluids?

Coat anywhere in particular(metal parts?) with oil/lubrication?

Or should I just alternate b/w using the two chainsaws to be sure both remain in operational condition? Prefer not to do this, but if it's the best method then so be it.

After running all fuel out, unscrew sparkplug and spray with light oil and light spray in cylinder hole ,pull handle lightly to lube cylinder sidewalls.It would probably behoove you to get extra sparkplug and condenser for your model now.Treat metal surfaces like you would a weapon,cosmoline/petroleum jelly to prevent rust or corrosion, store in dry and dust free environment .

storing any small engine or motors is a problem the seals & o rings dry out they really should be started at least twice a year I get a kick out of people who store guns under ground. I have a large amount stored in a heated house they are cleaned twice a year & I still get a light rust haze on them not much but have a friend who has some nice ones store in a shop they really pick up alot of rust I have not tryed cosmoline but wish I had some to test us and ussr guns looked nice coming out of long term storage this is what Im looking for sorry for the high jacked thread but long term engine storage a no no must be started and kept full of gas & oil Kim if Im wrong tell me

storing any small engine or motors is a problem the seals & o rings dry out they really should be started at least twice a year I get a kick out of people who store guns under ground. I have a large amount stored in a heated house they are cleaned twice a year & I still get a light rust haze on them not much but have a friend who has some nice ones store in a shop they really pick up alot of rust I have not tryed cosmoline but wish I had some to test us and ussr guns looked nice coming out of long term storage this is what Im looking for sorry for the high jacked thread but long term engine storage a no no must be started and kept full of gas & oil Kim if Im wrong tell me

WTF is that?

If you expect people to take you seriously use grammar and punctuation....Farking impossible to read!

Anyway, I collect Homelite chainsaws and have many saws that are approaching 30yrs old. MOST of the rubber parts do fine when stored dry. The problem with storing them with fuel in them is the newer gasoline's break down the rubber due to additives and Ethanol.

Heres a link to my HOMELITE Forum. Lots of knowledgeable people and good info.

Well for long term, there is no perfect solution. No matter what, you should take everything apart and clean it anyway. However, you can prevent the crank bearings, rings,etc. from rusting.

Ensure your saw is in good condition. Compression test it, or at least take off the exhaust and look at the piston. No sense storing a junk saw.

Run it up till warm. Remove the air filter and spray in some fogging oil (comes in aerosol cans). Use gradual pressure on the can when spraying - too much and the engine will quit. You will want to spray enough so the the engine smokes heavily but still runs. Give it a little bit of throttle if it won't stay running. Run it like this for about 30 seconds, then use the can full blast so it kills the engine.

After that, drain your fuel, take apart and clean your carb so there is NO fuel ANYWHERE. For the cost, buy a complete kit for the carb (incl. needle, etc), lightly oiling all metal parts with 2-stroke oil. Replace all gaskets, fuel lines, the primer, air filter, and the spark plug. If your fuel tank is steel, pour some oil in and shake it. Don't forget to lube the gasket on the gas cap with 2-stroke oil as well. Keep Your used parts as emergency spares if you're too cheap to buy a second set of everything.
That takes care of the engine.

As for the bar oil tank - just fill it and lube the cap seal too. Sharpen your chain and make sure your clutch is good to go.

The most important thing is to keep up on your maintenance, and to have tools, books and spare parts to support your equipment.

Things don't like to get stored for a long time without use. 72 Shane is right, the carb diaphrams will dry out in a couple years without use. If you were to put brand new seals, diaphrams in it that have not been soaked in fuel yet, you would have a better chance for long term storage and good dose of fogging oil to coat the bearings and cylinder.

Ditto on rubber parts going bad. Buy an extra carb kit, fuel line, fuel filter, and bar oil pump diapragm if applicable. That way you can drain every bit of fuel and not worry about the ethanol problem or buildup. 99% of the small engines I fix are cured with the above parts.

sorry to say but anything over roughly 5-7 years and you will most likely have to dis-assemble the whole saw and replace all the plastic/rubber/gaskets. seals will be completely dried out and when you start it, air will leak in and it will run at max rpm like a wild banshee. the carb parts will dry up and also the filter in the tank will turn to stone.....sometimes the gaskets between the cases will leak also(rarer).....the tube that runs thru the tank to the carb will turn to stone also.

it must be the gas...once the plastic/rubber parts touch gas they seem to eventually harden up. i have seen parts in the parts bin that are 20 years old and still pliable...?

just dont try and start a saw that has sat for a long time. that will do a lot of damage...running dry bearings and maybe even gaulling the piston/cylinder. take the spark plug out and pour some 2 stroke oil in the cylinder and crank it over by hand til you are certain everything is really lubed up. with the plug out you will blow most of the oil out but i would still use an old plug to start it up as you will probably foul a plug til you get all the excess oil out. it will smoke a bit at first but it will eventual clean out the excess...then put a new sparkplug in.

.... it isnt hard to re-build a saw and i am still using my old super25 i got in 1977...!

I stored my Jonsered 1050 Turbo for over two years with gas and oil in the saw. (While I was in Afghanistan). I came home in June, took it out and it fired right up. I did have it stored in the basement in a plastic case away from sunlight and the elements which is a killer for longterm storage for small engines

If they are stored in the house, heated garage, basement etc they do a lot better. Yes, things dry out. My personal experience, have 4, various sizes and ages, none less than 10 years old. Mine are in cases, or bagged, stored pretty well sealed up since I don't love the smell. Maybe that helps. Only other thing I do is dump the mix and put in straight gas, pull till it kicks over once and kill it, Don't let it run. Seems to work, my carbs never gum up, just put new fuel in my old (60's?) 36" Mac and fired it up after 5 years or so. Just for the heck of it, it's kinda a relic of past days, mostly use the little Mac 10" now in my advancing years, as the relic weighs enough to knock a tree over if you run out of gas...